The annual auction on Bond Street at Bonhams' London headquarters has become a cherished tradition in the run-up to Christmas. On December 12, 2024, around two dozen automobiles (including paintings, car parts and racing helmets) and 23 cars with a total value of around £5.15 million went under the hammer.
On average, the cars were 42 years old, with years of manufacture between 1910 and 2022. A third of the cars were offered without a reserve price.
Christmas gift-worthy neoclassics in contention
Five cars were sold for significantly more than expected, with a further five cars selling for around the estimated value.
A closer look at the positive surprises revealed some similarities. In all cases, these were cars built between 2007 and 2008. And all of them could very well be imagined as a gift for a loved one, whether it was the BMW Alpina B6 Cabriolet or a Bentley Brooklands Coupé.
However, the fact that the BMW Alpine in question found a new owner for £ 59,800 (EUR 72,358, CHF 67,574) instead of the estimated £ 20,000 to 30,000 could certainly not have been expected. The low mileage may have been a deciding factor, but the left-hand drive should have had a dampening effect, at least in the British market.
The right-hand drive Aston Martin DBS Coupé from 2008 was also expensive, selling for £ 140,875 (EUR 170,459, CHF 159,189).
And the left-hand drive Bentley Continental GTC from 2007 as a convertible also clearly exceeded the estimated value range of £ 25,000 to £ 35,000 with a sales price of £ 55,775 (EUR 67,488, CHF 63,026).
Finally, £ 207,000 (EUR 250,470, CHF 233,910) was paid for the 2008 Bentley Brookland Coupé with right-hand drive instead of the expected £ 100,000 to £ 125,000.
A 1996 Aston Martin DB7 with less than 5,000 km on the clock and left-hand drive sold for £24,150 (EUR 27,222, CHF 27,290), not quite as much above the estimate. A Ferrari 612 Scaglietta Sessanta from 2007 was valued at £ 128,500 (EUR 153,065, CHF 142,945).
Only one of two Bugatti sold
The highlights of the auction were two Bugatti cars that Hugh G. Conway bought 46 years ago and which have never changed hands since. This was a Bugatti Type 35A from 1925, which was converted into a 35T as part of a restoration and was driven by John Bolster and Stirling Moss, among others.
Chassis 4564, which is extensively documented, was offered for a not exaggerated £475,000 to £675,000. 480,000 was ultimately quoted as the highest bid, bringing the sale price including commission/surcharge to £552,000 (EUR 667,920, CHF 623,760).
The "sister" of the Type 35, a Type 44 Grand Touring 4-Seater from 1928 with chassis 441056, fared worse. This car also has the famous in-line eight-cylinder engine under the hood and was actually expected to fetch £275,000 to £375,000. However, nobody wanted to offer more than £ 165,000, so the attractive GT remained unsold.
Hyper sports car with mixed results
Two modern hyper sports cars were on offer on Bond Street. The Koenigsegg CCXR from 2006, a Koenigsegg test and homologation vehicle that went to company shareholder Bård Eker but has never been registered for road use, was estimated at £ 1.4 to 1.8 million.
However, the bidders did not want to pay more than £ 1.2 million for the 1018 hp road racer. the car was returned.
The McLaren 720S GT3X from 2022 (approx.) performed better. Although this sports car also fell well short of expectations, it was still sold for £ 402,500.
Less popularity for older cars
Although the oldest car, a Mercedes 35 hp Landaulette from 1910, was sold for £ 109,250, its sales price was somewhat below expectations.
The interesting HRG 1 1/2 Litre Aerodynamic two-seater from 1947 did not find a new owner; no one was willing to offer more than £48,000.
A Jaguar XK150 3.8 Litre Roadster fared similarly.
Things went better for more recent super classics. The Lamborghini Countach 5000 S from 1984 was sold for £ 391,000 (EUR 473,110, CHF 441,830).
In line with expectations, the new owner paid £ 174,800 (EUR 211,580, 197,524) for a right-hand drive Aston Martin DB6 from 1970 with automatic transmission and less than 38,000 miles on the clock, reminiscent of the Bond DB5 in terms of color.
Two other Aston Martins, a 1986 V8 Volante EFI (£135,700) and a 1994 Vantage 550 (£138,000) were knocked down at the lower end of the estimate range.
At £34,500, a personalized 1975 Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible cost less than a 1991 Michael Schumacher racing helmet, which found its way into a new display case for £39,680.
All in all, the Bonhams people must have been satisfied with the results - after all, it was also a question of being able to talk to loyal customers again before Christmas.
Offered and Sold Vehicles
The following table lists all offered and sold vehicles with estimated prices, highest bids, and sale prices. The price conversion was made at the exchange rate valid on the auction day. All information is provided without guarantee.
| Lot | Car | Year | £ Est from | £ Est to | £ HP | £ SP | CHF SP | EUR SP | % Est | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Rolls-Royce Corniche Custom Convertible | 1975 | 35'000 | 55'000 | 30'000 | 34'500 | 38'984 | 41'745 | -23.33%
|
V |
| 102 | Aston Martin DB7 Coupé | 1995 | 15'000 | 20'000 | 21'000 | 24'150 | 27'289 | 29'221 | +38%
|
V |
| 103 | Jaguar XK150 'S' 3.8-Litre Roadster | 1959 | 80'000 | 120'000 | 75'000 | N | ||||
| 104 | HRG 1½-Litre Aerodynamic Two-Seater Sports | 1947 | 60'000 | 80'000 | 48'000 | N | ||||
| 105 | Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 Sports Saloon | 1970 | 120'000 | 180'000 | 152'000 | 174'800 | 197'523 | 211'508 | +16.53%
|
V |
| 106 | Aston Martin Vantage V550 Coupé | 1994 | 110'000 | 160'000 | 120'000 | 138'000 | 155'939 | 166'980 | +2.22%
|
V |
| 107 | Bugatti Type 35A / 35T 2.3-litre Grand Prix Two-Seater | 1925 | 475'000 | 675'000 | 480'000 | 552'000 | 623'759 | 667'920 | -4%
|
V |
All information is provided without guarantee.
Legend: Column S = Status (V = Sold, N = Not sold, Z = Withdrawn, U = Under reserve)
Est = Estimate, HP = Hammer Price, SP = Sale Price
